Driving without a license
Driving without a license
Author
Discussion

simontkstk

Original Poster:

23 posts

58 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Due to a Motorbike accident in May 2001, I am now a permanent wheelchair user.
Without my driving license.
Is there anywhere I can drive a car ?
I live near Manchester.

Martyn76

844 posts

148 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
A car with hand controls I would of thought, something through Motability?

simontkstk

Original Poster:

23 posts

58 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
thank you but it is WHERE I can drive ?

98elise

32,797 posts

192 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Martyn76 said:
A car with hand controls I would of thought, something through Motability?
This. Disability doesn't automatically exclude you from driving. There are people with severe disabilities who drive perfectly well with modified controls (often bespoke to the individual)

sunnygym

1,081 posts

206 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
simontkstk said:
Due to a Motorbike accident in May 2001, I am now a permanent wheelchair user.
Without my driving license.
Is there anywhere I can drive a car ?
I live near Manchester.
If it’s on private land eg a farm I believe you can do what you like

simontkstk

Original Poster:

23 posts

58 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
yes but is there anywhere open yo the public ?

Filibuster

3,406 posts

246 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
98elise said:
Martyn76 said:
A car with hand controls I would of thought, something through Motability?
This. Disability doesn't automatically exclude you from driving. There are people with severe disabilities who drive perfectly well with modified controls (often bespoke to the individual)
This. In case you are interested in doing a drivers license.
If it is just for one day, what do you fancy? Tarmac, Rally Cross, Off Road?

simontkstk

Original Poster:

23 posts

58 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
tarmac or rallying

sherman

15,325 posts

246 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Do the DVLA say you cant drive or is it just you havent tried to get a licence provisional or otherwise since your accident?

Bone Rat

380 posts

194 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Hi,

You apply for a licence if you have not got a valid one. If you still have a M/C licence this will also give you prov entitlement for Cat B. You indicate to DVLA that you are a wheelchair user and that you need adaptations to drive. Some medical enquires may be made but you can get referred for a driving assessment at a FORUM centre. These are pretty widely distributed apart form Scotland. If DVLA arranges it there is no charge to the driver. Wigan is probably the closest for you.

Alternatively If you have a licence which will cover you to drive you can refer your self for a driving assessment or your GP/Consultant can refer you. If a self referral it costs about £70 (highly subsidised).

Being in a wheelchair should not prevent a return to driving a car (or even a trike). Hand controls range from the simple mechanical ones to highly complex drive by wire versions.

Further to your comment about just wanting to drive, on private land anything goes. However, you are likely to need H/C and an automatic, the operators who have such vehicles are likely to be OK about a trial in a carpark, hospital grounds to see what adaptations are needed. They are very unlikely to be happy with letting someone hoon around for leisure in it.

Best course would be to get the licence coded for adaptations, get some practice with them. Then see what is around.

Edited by Bone Rat on Monday 1st August 16:10

Pica-Pica

16,694 posts

115 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
sunnygym said:
simontkstk said:
Due to a Motorbike accident in May 2001, I am now a permanent wheelchair user.
Without my driving license.
Is there anywhere I can drive a car ?
I live near Manchester.
If it’s on private land eg a farm I believe you can do what you like
Subject to Health and Safety legislation if it’s a business.

Filibuster

3,406 posts

246 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
A lot of good advice so far, op. But we would like to hear your motives. Do you want to be driving on a regular basis, even eventually?
Or do you just fancy to have a go in a car for a saturday afternoon? If so, what do you fancy?
Do you have access to a car with appropriate controls for you?

So far you have rather been a man of few words…

98elise

32,797 posts

192 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Filibuster said:
A lot of good advice so far, op. But we would like to hear your motives. Do you want to be driving on a regular basis, even eventually?
Or do you just fancy to have a go in a car for a saturday afternoon? If so, what do you fancy?
Do you have access to a car with appropriate controls for you?

So far you have rather been a man of few words…
He has said

simontkstk said:
tarmac or rallying
So it sounds like he's asking if there are opportunities to do some fun driving experiences as a disabled person, rather than daily driving with a modified personal car.



simontkstk

Original Poster:

23 posts

58 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
OP here

As I've said I am now disabled. One of my disabilities is :-
My eyes close involuntary about every 2 minutes and I then struggle to open them and re-focus.
Which makes for an interesting challenge, when keying in. To say the least !
So I can only apologise for my lack of information.

AlexRS2782

8,534 posts

244 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2022
quotequote all
simontkstk said:
OP here

As I've said I am now disabled. One of my disabilities is :-
My eyes close involuntary about every 2 minutes and I then struggle to open them and re-focus.
Which makes for an interesting challenge, when keying in. To say the least !
So I can only apologise for my lack of information.
Sadly i would imagine the issue in bold will probably be the significant sticking point for any driving related experience / business / liability insurance point of view, etc frown

Lordbenny

8,754 posts

250 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2022
quotequote all
Looks like a fancy sim set up is your best option I’m afraid.

Electrics not for me

69 posts

52 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2022
quotequote all
The moment you mentioned sight issues it closed the case. Public areas will be off limits, as simple as that.
Private land with the owner's consent is your only hope.
I think you need good friends with cars tbh.

Pebbles167

4,599 posts

183 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2022
quotequote all
The eyes closing issue will make you a danger to yourself or others, pretty much rules you out from anything I'd imagine.

You have my sympathy, motoring is pretty much my only hobby, would be devastated if I could no longer drive.

You can get quite the buzz from being a passenger though, do you have any friends who do trackdays? If not, you can buy passenger experiences in various cars.

Jamescrs

6,499 posts

96 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2022
quotequote all
simontkstk said:
OP here

As I've said I am now disabled. One of my disabilities is :-
My eyes close involuntary about every 2 minutes and I then struggle to open them and re-focus.
Which makes for an interesting challenge, when keying in. To say the least !
So I can only apologise for my lack of information.
I'm sorry to hear about your issues OP but I think as others have mentioned your lack of sight will rule out any driving on public roads as a basic point of safety